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HomeMy WebLinkAboutREDTAIL RESIDENTIAL - PDP - 26-01 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - PLANNING OBJECTIVEShousing convenient to public transportation achieves the goals of reducing reliance on motor vehicles, encouraging the use of bikes, and enhancing residents' and employees' overall quality of life. VII. Land Use Conflicts and Natural Area Disturbances There are no Land Use conflicts. The plan has been sensitively designed to concentrate housing on the top of a small mesa well above and well set back from the naturalized detention ponds to the east and north, and to require minimal disturbance of same. In the buffer areas, the existing topographic characteristics and native uplands vegetation are maintained, except where necessary to improve the existing access road which provides access to the project from the Cameron Drive cul-de-sac and where necessary for the north and south path which meanders through the buffer area. The grading plan has been adjusted to allow this access roadway and the north / south path to follow the existing contours in order to minimize disturbance to the natural and buffer areas as well as to minimize the use of retaining walls. Vill. Trail, Pedestrian Walkway in Buffer Zone A trail / pedestrian walkway is designed to proceed from south to north through the residential project, which will provide public access for educational and recreational purposes. The trail will be constructed from concrete which will blend in with the brown / beige / gray upland colors, and furthermore is designed to follow the existing contours of the land so it will have minimal impact aesthetically and will be compatible with the natural vegetation in the buffer area. IX. Name of Project Redtail FDP VA V. Number of Employees The estimated total number of employees for the office portion of this project is projected to be about 81, based on the number of employees in similar office buildings located at Fossil Creek Office Park (immediately to the south) and pursuant to covenants' use restrictions. VI. Rationale Behind Assumptions and Choices 1. The office portion of project is designed to meet the needs of small office owners who need in the range of 3000-6600 square feet of office space and desire an aesthetic, upscale high quality office park environment. These needs are not being adequately met elsewhere in the community. 2. Although the existing residential is located a considerable distance to the west and is totally blocked from this project by a 200-foot railroad track embankment / buffer, it is nevertheless desirable to provide a thoughtful and sensitive transition between this proposed project and the existing residential, as well as the existing warehouse and office uses on College, Cameron Drive, Coronado Court and Fossil Boulevard. 3. Given the zoning of this property (Commercial C) and its market value, it is a challenge to create a transitional use, which is mostly residential, and still achieve the objectives of economic feasibility and edifying aesthetics, as well as the many LUC goals. These goals can be realized with development comprised approximately of one- half of small office buildings and approximately one-half of innovative eight-plex residential buildings with connecting courtyards around a large park, both carefully planned to respect the large existing natural area between these two project components. 4. Project design should not be beholden to a priority requirement to meet the needs of vehicles. While the needs for vehicular access should be accommodated, the primary emphasis should be on pedestrian and bike circulation. Accordingly, pedestrian, bike, and vehicle needs have been met by a concept, which merges the park, the mail kiosk, walkways, bikeways, vehicle ways, landscaping and hardscaping into innovative internal park -courtyards with the park as the centerpiece and focal point. This benefits pedestrians, provides a sense of neighborhood, and enhances quality of life. 5. This project provides an attractive enclave of residential housing at the south end of town approximate to and with easements providing for connection to the Mason Street Transportation Corridor. This will permit residents of this project to make use of convenient public transportation to commute to thousands of employers located near and along the entire length of College Avenue. Also, public transit provides transportation to major employers located east on Harmony Road. Providing attractive 2 system of connecting walkways to be run through Fossil Creek Office Park permitting connectivity between existing and new office, residential and other uses, both within the project and off -site. The carriage houses and garage buildings, together with related landscaping, buffer the residential project from the railroad tracks and embankment to the west. The central large park, connecting courtyards and landscaping within the residential project buffer buildings and create a pedestrian -friendly environment. Furthermore these features contribute to sense of community and enhance quality of life. Pedestrian, bike and vehicle traffic within the project meanders around a pedestrian - friendly, private drive -courtyard loop. Pedestrian -permeable courtyards, as well as interconnecting walkways and crosswalks accomplish circulation internally between buildings, garages, natural area / open space and the large central park with plaza and mail kiosk. The residential project has 75% natural area / open space and landscaped areas, which elements soften the feel of the buildings, screen parking, and provide a sensitive transition between the residential and other uses. IV. Ownership and Maintenance of Public and Private Open Space The office and the residential portions of this project will each have their own Owners Association and Covenants and will be separate, autonomous entities, neighborhoods, and albeit complementary and symbiotic. Office ownership will be in the nature of townhouses with each building owner or half - building owner owning the portion of the building pad under his building or half -building. The balance of the office park will be owned in common by the OOA, which will be responsible for all maintenance, both private common and public (along College). Residential building ownership will be the nature of condominium ownership with each eight-plex building owner owning an undivided interest in the underlying building pad. Statutory requirements with regard to condominium legal descriptions will be strictly followed. All residential front yards, backyards, side yards, sidewalks, private drive, courtyard, and detention pond natural area / open space will be maintained by the HOA. Public natural areas / open space and landscaped around the Cameron Drive cul-de-sac, as well as the landscaped island within such cul-de-sac, shall also be maintained by the HOA. 5 which characterize the front of the residential buildings, create an attractive and pedestrian -oriented streetscape, variety and visual interest in exterior design. III. Open Space, Buffering, Landscaping, Circulation, Natural Areas 75% of the residential project (5.882 acres) is natural area / open space or landscape area. The natural area / open space is comprised of the three naturalized detention ponds and their associated buffer areas located to the east and north of the project. The elevations of the residential building sites are ten to twenty feet higher than the naturalized detention ponds, which enhance the buffer by creating this "elevation separation" aspect of the buffer. Furthermore, the residential part of the project is adjacent to and overlooks the 38 acres of City -owned natural area to the south, which buffers the project from Fossil Creek and its associated natural areas. Natural Resources has, at our request, reviewed natural area considerations related to this project, and informed us that the appropriate buffer for these naturalized storm drainage detention ponds is 50 feet. The average buffer distance for all development fronting these ponds is 63.5 feet. This includes six residential buildings, one new office building, and the existing office -warehouse parking lot. The average buffer for the six residential buildings fronting these ponds is 82 feet. The only disturbance and construction activity within the buffer zone that will occur will be a) construction activity related to improving the existing access drive into the project from Cameron Drive, b) utility main installations (sewer main is already installed), c) restoration of areas which we disturb, d) previously disturbed areas which we restore, and e) naturalized detention ponds mitigation. The required buffer from Redtail hawk nest sites is 1,320 feet. The residential project is located 1,250 feet from a Redtail hawk's nest, which is 94.6% of the preferred buffer. Accordingly, this falls well within staff level authority to modify performance standard distances down to 80%, and we respectfully request that staff allow this project to proceed with 94.6% of the preferred buffer for the reasons that a) the City -owned natural area has rolling hills which enhance the buffer as it drops toward Fossil Creek and the Redtail hawk nest sites, b) the Redtail hawks have thrived at this location notwithstanding the fact that their nest sites are located 600 feet or less from heavy traffic on College, and furthermore are located in a "natural amphitheater" relative to College, and c) it would cause an undue hardship and eviscerate the proposed project to require an additional 71 feet of setback from these Redtail hawk nests. Two small off -site easements will be granted to the City by adjacent landowners to permit the Cameron Drive cul-de-sac to be constructed. A storm drainage easement across the 38 acres of Redtail Open Space to the south has been negotiated and recorded. An easement will also be granted by adjacent landowners to permit the 4 Highway 287 provides access to Loveland, Windsor and alternative Interstate-25 access points. There is easy access to schools and parks proceeding east on Fossil Drive, west on Harmony Road as well as via the Fossil Creek pedestrian / bike trail when completed. Also, Harmony Road provides access to the south branch of the library and Front Range Community College. In addition, residents have immediate access to 4 acres of private on -site natural area and 38 acres of City -owned natural area (Redtail Natural Area) immediately to the south. In addition, the major walkway spine within the project will be dedicated for use by the public, and easements provided to the City for future connectivity to the Fossil Creek pedestrian / bike path and for connectivity to the Mason Street Transportation Corridor. Vehicle, bike and pedestrian access to the offices immediately adjacent to the new and existing offices immediately to the east will be by means of Cameron Drive, Frontage Road, Coronado Court, public and private sidewalks, and a system of connecting walkways. 5. Architectural Character The LUC goal of achieving exceptional architectural character is realized by this project in terms of a) sensitive small office architectural style, b) innovative step-down roof design, c) differentiated and interesting architectural elements present in the residential building elevations, d) thoughtful design considerations present in the courtyard- hardscape-landscape areas, e) complementary interrelationships between all the foregoing, and f) complementary and sensitive relationship to the surrounding natural areas. 6. Active Livino Soaces All of the residential units surround a large central park and are linked to same by pedestrian -friendly courtyards. These active living spaces fronting onto the park - courtyards create a vibrant community with the opportunity for interactions between neighbors, sense of community and quality of life. 7. Pedestrian Oriented Streetscar)es, and Varietv and Visual Interest in Exterior Desiqn In both the residential and office portions of the project, the relatively smaller scale, mass and height of the buildings plus landscaped setback, step-down roofs, varied roof design elements, and varied siding materials provide for an interesting pedestrian streetscape, variety and visual interest in exterior design. In the office portion of the project, the complementary use of brick, stucco and lapboard siding, together with residential style and architectural entry gables, provide an interesting pedestrian -oriented streetscape, variety and visual interest in exterior design. In the residential portion of the project, the central mail kiosk, the park, the pedestrian - permeable park -courtyards, the varied architectural elements and step-down roofs harnesses the power of the private sector to solve the majority of our community's affordable housing problem, and thus preserves our community's diversity, inclusiveness, ethical underpinning, and mental health. We are speaking to City Council members and others about these matters, as well as applying for all relevant City programs, in an effort to achieve these objectives. II. City Plan Principles and Policies Achieved 1. Transitional This project is complementary to and transitional in relation to the adjacent uses: office, retail, and warehouse uses to the east and north, single-family residential uses to the west (beyond the 200-foot railroad track easement and embankment immediately adjacent at the west), and the Redtail Open Space to the south. This project includes a) office uses at the east side of project which are complementary to the existing office and retail along College Avenue, b) residential uses at its west side, and c) a large transitional natural area / open space and three naturalized detention ponds between these two components. Approximately 67% of the total project will be either natural area / open space or landscaped area. 2. Mixed Use This project is a mixed -use project comprised of approximately one-half office and one- half residential. 3. Sense of Community / Quality of Life Project design elements include office and residential buildings at a human scale, attractive elevations with architectural diversity and step-down roofs, and a large central park with adjoining courtyards which merge landscape, hardscape, pedestrian, bike and vehicle. The central park -courtyards concept is the key design element which creates a sense of community and will enhance the residents' quality of life. 4. Access The access for this project is at the intersection of College and Cameron Drive, which intersection is controlled with a stoplight and is very safe for bicycles and pedestrians as well as vehicles. Proceeding north on College provides access to virtually all of Fort Collins' retail outlets and employers. Proceeding east on Harmony Road provides access to retail, high-tech employers and Interstate-25. Proceeding south on College / REDTAIL MIXED -USE RESIDENTIAL AND OFFICE PROJECT STATEMENT OF PLANNING OBJECTIVES July 2001, I. Introduction Redtail is a unique mixed -use project comprised of eight small office buildings, eight small eight-plex residential buildings and two carriage houses. The residential units surround a large central park with a plaza and mail kiosk, and are connected to same with pedestrian -friendly courtyards. All units are designed for ownership, and have attached or detached garages. The project is an inf ill project between offices and retail to the east, warehouse -office to the north, City -owned Redtail Open Space to the south, and to the west a 200-foot wide elevated railroad track embankment with residential beyond that. The project has been designed with high sensitivity to the three naturalized detention ponds located between the proposed and existing residential and office uses. Connectivity is being provided between project residential, project office and existing office to the east, and also between project and existing uses to the north, by means of Cameron Drive, Frontage Road, private drives, public and private sidewalks, and a system of interconnecting walkways. Furthermore, the project provides easements for future connection of its major walkway spine to the proposed pedestrian / bike trail between Fossil Creek and the Mason Street Transportation Corridor. The residential project is characterized by its prominent location on top of a small hill overlooking two naturalized detention ponds to the east, one to the north, and thirty- eight (38) acres of rolling Redtail Open Space to the south. The homes open onto private drive -courtyard areas and are all located around a large central park. There is a unifying contemporary -traditional architectural theme, pleasant landscaping, and a sense of cohesiveness and community. This is a place in which one will feel good to live. The residential buildings surround a large central park and are linked to same by pedestrian -friendly courtyards, which functionally and aesthetically merge landscape, hardscape, pedestrian, bike and vehicle. The large central park includes a plaza area, a mail kiosk, numerous small sitting / tot lot areas for informal socializing, and overlooks project's private natural area / open space and naturalized detention ponds. A major purpose of this project is to create a very attractive neighborhood of affordable housing for sale to qualified purchasers with affordability -guaranteed in perpetuity and entirely privately administered, and furthermore to have the City join us in creating a model of how the private sector with public assistance at the front end only, can build affordable housing which remains affordable forever. This model, if replicated, 1